US will make large firms give paid time off for vaccinations

Companies with at least 100 workers will be required to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and paid sick leave if they have side effects from the shots

WASHINGTON -- The federal government will require companies with at least 100 workers to provide paid time off for employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and paid sick leave to recover from effects of the shots, a Biden administration official said Monday.

Those requirements will be part of a pending federal rule that will spell out how large employers will meet a requirement that workers be vaccinated or tested regularly for the virus.

The White House budget office has completed its review of the rule being written by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is expected to be released this week.

The rule – issued under emergency standards to respond to the pandemic -- will cover firms with 100 or more employees, regardless of how many are located in any particular spot.